Wasn't Expecting That (Kristanna Harvest Festival)
by MeganC121
Summary: A series of one-shots exploring Anna and Kristoff's relationship, from beginning to end, based on Tumblr's Kristanna Harvest Festival (Kristanna Week) prompts. Inspired by the song "Wasn't Expecting That" by Jamie Lawson. I do not own Frozen or any of the characters. Please read, enjoy, and review!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**  
I am posting my drabbles for Kristanna Week 2015 here. In interest of keeping the rating of this piece low, I am leaving out one particularly smutty prompt- buuuut if anyone has any interest in reading it, I may post it as a separate one-shot. If you have a chance, I suggest looking up the tag "kristanna harvest festivle" on Tumblr, there were some great pieces this year!  
If you enjoy what you're reading, please remember to drop a review! I always appreciate it when I hear from you all. As always, read, enjoy, and review!  
Heart you!  
 _The whole series was inspired by the song "Wasn't Expecting That" by Jamie Lawson._

* * *

 **Rating** : K  
 **Words:** 680  
 **Summary:** Kristoff never expected to fall so many times

Kristoff never anticipated what a life with Anna would mean. It meant that his world went from being one of hard work and never enough to fast-paced adventure and constant exploring. They were always moving, going, pushing, seeing. It exhausted Kristoff, but he loved every second of it. He fed off of Anna's energy. She was his lifeblood.

Life before Anna was dull. Kristoff had resigned himself to being an ice harvester his whole life—and the life of an ice harvester was typically a lonely one. He had no intention to take a wife, to settle down, to raise a family. He had been content, he had been alive, but he wasn't happy and he certainly wasn't living.

Then Anna burst into Kristoff's life, full of action and excitement. She exploded onto his scene like the fall—his world was grey and ice, and then suddenly burning with reds, golds, and oranges. His head reeled every time he thought back. He could divide his life into two parts: pre-Anna and post-Anna. His post-Anna life had been the most fulfilling years. Kristoff was finally living.

And, Kristoff never thought he could fall that hard again. Completely, abruptly, unexpectedly head over heels in love with anyone the way he had with Anna. But when the midwife's assistant beckoned him into the delivery room, he found out that he was wrong. The second his daughter opened her eyes (blue, like Anna), and stretched open her tiny little mouth (big, like Anna), and pushed her tiny little fist up at him (strong, like Anna), Kristoff knew he was a goner again. In a split second, the teeny human in his arms had stolen his heart, his whole world again burst into brilliant color, flaming to life in scarlet, maize, and auburn. He gapped up at Anna, her eyes locked onto their daughter, and he knew that her world was aflame with the colors of fall too.

And Kristoff never thought his life would continue to blaze with color. But it did when his son was born, it did when his niece was born, and it did when his daughter handed him his first grandchild. Kristoff didn't think he could ever fall any harder, but each time, he proved himself wrong. His world, his post-Anna life was so full of loving reds, joyous yellows, and jovial oranges, he could never imagine returning to his life of grey.

Sitting beside his ailing wife, though, Kristoff found himself falling again. He held her hand, pressed chapped lips to her lined forehead, and waited. He was falling from his high. His long life of excitement and adventure was drawing shorter and shorter, just like Anna's breath. The colors in his life faded to brown, to fall's final shade. His world was ending. He was falling off an edge. He didn't let go though, and through her final moments, Kristoff whispered to Anna a lifetime of memories, a lifetime of bright colors and burning hearts. As quickly as he could manage, he told her everything he ever wanted to say, everything he ever wanted to have her hear, and everything he needed her to know. He told her he loved her, he thanked her for the adventure, and he asked her to not to worry, because her family would be fine. Behind him, stood his daughter, beautiful beyond words, positioned stoically beside her husband, the only sign of her grief a trembling hand in his. Beside her, his son, so much like himself that it scared even Anna, his wife hiding her tears in his shoulder. His six grandchildren lined in front of them, some old enough to understand what was happening, some too young to know.

"Anna," he whispered to her, "We will be okay." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, holding it there. "We will all be okay."

It was a shuddering breath, but it was final. Kristoff felt her spirit leave, it floated away like a crisp leaf in a fall breeze.

And Kristoff knew then, that he would never fall again.


	2. Chapter 2: Harvest

**Rating:** K  
 **Words** : 1,010  
 **Summary:** Anna hasn't celebrated All Hollow's Eve before, and Kristoff should have known she would go above and beyond to participate in tradition.

* * *

It didn't surprise Kristoff that Anna didn't know exactly what All Hallow's Eve was. She had lived a life closed off from traditions of the kingdom, never celebrating "obscure" holidays, as Elsa had called it. However, it shouldn't have surprised Kristoff how whole-heartedly Anna threw herself into celebrating the holiday.

"We have to find the biggest pumpkin to carve!" Anna threw her hands out, demonstrating to Kristoff just how large a pumpkin she really wanted.

"Anna, you can't get a pumpkin that big. I don't think you understand how much work it will be to carve that," he smiled at her, though not taking his eyes off the path.

"It will be fun work, though," she giggled. Anna looked at him and pouted, "I've never done this before Kristoff. If you let me go overboard this year, perhaps I won't be as excited about it in the future."

He rolled his eyes, "Oh c'mon Anna. I know you better than that."

She laughed, throwing her hands up, "You're right. I bet I am going to love this holiday and go crazy about it every year!"

She continued to question Kristoff about how to carve a pumpkin, what to put on the pumpkin, what they did with the pumpkin after the holiday, until they arrived at what Kristoff told her was the Pumpkin Patch.

"Oh my gods," Anna squealed, jumping out of the cart, "There are so many of them!"

Kristoff moved to her side, observing the rows and rows of vine-covered pumpkins.

"Yeah, it's been a family secret for a while. The trolls would always come out here to pick their pumpkins out…" he trailed the end of his story, shaking his head as Anna laughed her way out to the field.

"Oh, Kristoff, you better comer here, I think I found the perfect, biggest… oh wait, what about that one?"

He laughed and followed behind her, wondering exactly how many pumpkins they were going to bring back to the castle.

Elsa looked at the pumpkins they had harvested warily when they returned to the castle.

"Anna, that is a lot of pumpkins… what on earth are you going to do with them all?"

"Oh, don't worry, Kristoff said we could carve some, paint some, cook some, bake some, roast some…"

"I see," Elsa turned her gaze on Kristoff, "So this is your fault."

Kristoff gave Elsa sheepish shrug, "I should know better than to just let her loose by now."

Elsa nodded, "You would think after last year's Christmas tree hunting exhibition, you would have learned something."

"Oh, Elsa, don't be such a Queen. You can carve one too!" Anna handed her sister an oddly curved pumpkin, one that she picked out because it had "character".

"Maybe later, Anna," Elsa grinned, setting the pumpkin down, "But right now, I think you better get started on all of yours."

After Elsa has stepped away, Anna turned to tackle her first pumpkin.

"Ah, Kristoff, what exactly do we do?"

Kristoff came up behind her, brandishing his hunting knife, "You better let me take care of this part."

He carefully cut around the stem of the pumpkin, angling his knife down so that when he pulled the top off, the bottom came to a point. Anna, however, squirmed at what came up with the top of the pumpkin.

"What is that?" She pointed at the conglomeration of seeds and orange string hanging from the cover.

"Oh, this?" Kristoff smiled, scraping it off the pumpkin, "this is what we call pumpkin goop."

Anna picked up the gob that he held out to her, squirming when she touched it.

"Oh, it's so slimy, and cold!"

Kristoff dug a handful of it out of the pumpkin, pulling the seeds from the goop, "Well, get used to it feistypants. You've got to get all of the goop out before you can carve. And, if you save the seeds, we can roast them and turn them into a snack."

Anna pulled the seeds out of the goop Kristoff handed her, making faces every time she touched too much of it.

That's why she wasn't sure it was an innocent mistake when a glob of the goop ended up splatting on her forearm.

"Ewwwww!" she squealed, flicking it off as fast as she could. She glared up at Kristoff, who was trying to hide his smirk behind his orange hand.

"What was that for?" she pouted.

"What was what for? I didn't do anything," he smiled.

Anna squinted at him, "You threw pumpkin guts at me!"

He stepped back, mock horror on his face, "How dare you accuse me of that… I would never do that to you, I love you too much too…"

A blob of the goop hitting him in the neck interrupted his monologue. He stared at Anna, who had a devilish grin on her face.

"Oh-ho, Princess, are you sure you want to start something that you can't finish?" he threatened, pulling a considerable handful of goop out of the pumpkin.

Anna plucked some up from the pile she had been collecting, holding it away from her as pumpkin juice dripped down her arm.

"Who said I couldn't finish it?"

It wasn't long before orange pumpkin goop was flying across the courtyard, covering both of them and everything in between. Despite Kristoff's large hands, Anna was actually hitting him more. She was fast and stealthy. Kristoff could just hurl a lot of it.

Eventually their pumpkin was empty, and both parties called a truce, sliding down against each other, breathless from laughter.

"I have a feeling Elsa is never going to let us carve pumpkins again," Anna said, looking at their mess.

Kristoff pulled some of the stringy concoction out his hair, flicking it away from them, "Maybe now we can go convince her to carve pumpkins with us. Obviously we cannot be left unsupervised."

Anna turned her neck to give him a devious side-glance, a rotten smirk on her lips, "Two against one then?"

Kristoff jumped up, holding his slick hand out to help her up, "Oh, definitely."


	3. Chapter 3: Haunted

**Rating:** K **  
Words** : 700  
 **Summary** : It doesn't matter how many years have passed, Anna is still haunted.

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It was a bloodcurdling scream, late one night, that jolted Kristoff into awareness. That wasn't a sound he had heard in several years. But he reacted the same way nonetheless. The book he had been reading dropped to the ground as he raced out of the library and towards the quarters he and Anna shared. It had been years since the Great Thaw, years since Hans, years since Anna died… but he knew that scream. And he knew that nightmare.

"Anna!" he cried out as he slammed their bedroom door open. And the she was, just as he had seen her a hundred times before. Her body was rigid, her arms pinned to her sides and her neck strained. But her eyes were wide open, staring empty towards at the ceiling. She choked on the air trying to enter her lungs, gasping for a respite.

"Anna, hey, hey," he slid to his knees at their bedside, shaking her shoulders gently, "Anna, wake up."

She screamed again, her hands clenching and unclenching, she was trying to force her body to move, to listen to her command—she was trying to thaw.

"Anna." He shook her more firmly, patting her cheek. "It's not real, love, it's just a nightmare. Wake up Anna!"

She gulped down a big breath, filling her lungs and stopping her screams. She blinked her eyes and sat straight up, panting in as much air as she could, relaxing every muscle in her body.

"Hey," Kristoff brushed back the hair plastered to her forehead, "Are you alright?"'

Anna turned her head to look at him, her eyes wide and fearful—like she had just seen a ghost. And then she burst into tears.

"Okay, okay," he heaved himself into their bed and pulled her to his chest, "Shhh, love, shhhhh. It's okay. He can't hurt you. It was just a nightmare. It's okay now, Anna."

She cried into his chest, fisting his collar into her hands and staining his shirt. Kristoff held her, letting her cry out the traces of her nightmare.

"Why?" she finally hiccupped, turning her tear-streaked face up to him, "Why does this still happen to me?"

Kristoff sighed and played with the fingers gripping his collar, "I wish I had a good answer for you, love, but I don't. It's the first time you've had that nightmare in years."

"But I want it to stop. I want him to stop haunting me."

Kristoff looked down at her, pushing her hair away from her face, "You have no idea what I would do to stop him from haunting you."

"It makes me feel… inadequate," she whispered into his chest.

"What does that even mean, Anna?"

"When I have these nightmares, it makes me feel like because I'm remembering him, I don't love you enough."

"Stop." Kristoff demanded. He turned her until she was facing him, her cheeks flushed from crying and embarrassment. "He traumatized you, Anna. He told you he loved you, the ripped that away from you and left you for dead, then attempted to murder your sister. That isn't something you can just wish away, even after all of the time that has passed. Sometimes you have to remember, because that is just the way our minds work for some reason. It doesn't mean that you don't love me enough. And I don't want you to ever believe that." He cast his gaze downwards before mumbling, "It still haunts me as well. I still get nightmares about that day too."

Anna reached up and cupped his cheek, "Why don't I ever hear you? How come I never know?"

"I sleep deeper than you do. Don't thrash around as much. You've woken me up before though, saved me from myself."

"Not recently," Anna mumbled.

"Hey," he pulled up on her chin, forcing her to look at him, "You save me every day Anna. Don't you ever forget that."

She smiled at him as he leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too. Thank you for fighting my ghosts."

Kristoff hugged her tight, willing to squeeze all the pain out of her voice, "Always, love. Always."


	4. Chapter 4: Changing Colors

**Rating:** K  
 **Words:** 490  
 **Summary:** All it takes are three little words from Anna for Kristoff's life to change colors

* * *

"Anna!" Kristoff chuckled, "Anna, slow down!"

"Well why don't you hurry up?" she countered.

He stopped in his tracks and crossed his arms, "Because, Anna, you blindfolded me, again."

He felt her circle around him, "But Kristoff," she cooed, "I thought you liked it when I blindfolded you?"

Kristoff blushed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, yea, I do—wait, is this a sexy surprise?"

"Oh, just come on!" she grabbed his hand and continued to tug him down the hallway.

"You didn't say no!"

She giggled and pulled him to a stop. He heard a door creak open and when she finally removed his blindfold, he found himself in a room. He glanced around, taking in the dusty appearance. No one had used this particular room in a long time.

"Ah… it's a room."

Anna was practically vibrating with energy. "It's not just any room," she gushed.

Kristoff stepped away , brushing his finger against a rocking chair and picking up dust, "Well, it's an old room. No one has been in here for a while. Lots of dust."

She just rolled her eyes, "Go through that door," she commanded.

He followed to where she pointed and crack the door.

"Hey, that's our room," he turned back around, "I just thought this was one of your closets, this is a whole…"

Kristoff's voice caught in his throat. Anna was standing there, dangling a pair of very small, very yellow booties. A smile stretched itself across her face as she watched his reaction.

Confusion. Recognition. A small grin. An even bigger smile.

"Nursery?" he whispered, "this is a whole nursery?"

"I am pregnant," she answered just as softly.

He moved quickly towards her and picked her up around the waist.

"We're having a baby?" he asked, his voice rising in excitement.

Anna nodded vigorously, placing her hands on his shoulders as he spun her around. Kristoff laughed and she grinned at him, tears welling up in her eyes.

Kristoff didn't set her down, he just cradled her to his chest and smiled down at her.

"I wasn't sure," she whispered, reaching up and cupping his cheek, "But I've been sick, and I've missed several cycles… it's just that we've been trying for so long that I thought maybe it was impossible for us…"

Kristoff nuzzled into her hand, "Me too… but, gods, Anna, I am happy. I'm not just happy—I'm thrilled, I'm ecstatic!" He paused and looked deep into her blue eyes, his grin softening, "Anna, I am in love. With you, with our baby. My whole world just changed colors—my whole heart is so full right now, I just…"

He leaned down and kissed her with enough passion to melt the fjord.

"I love you," he rubbed their noses together and rested his forehead on hers, "I love you and I love our baby."

Anna laughed and pecked his lips in return, "I love you too, Kristoff."


	5. Chapter 5: Fireside

**Rating** : K  
 **Words:** 600  
 **Summary** : Kristoff didn't know how his life could be any fuller, until he sat with her by the fireside

* * *

Kristoff smiled back into the room where Anna still laid in bed—always the picture of sophisticated grace. In front of him was a little bassinette next to smoldering embers in the fireplace. He closed the door between their bedroom and the nursery so that Anna could get some much deserved rest. And, so he could have some much deserved one-on-one time with the little bundle of joy in front of him.

He leaned over the bassinette and couldn't stop the beaming smile that spread on his face. The human in front of him was tiny. It was so small. And sleeping.

Kristoff pulled a rocking chair up to the bassinette and plopped down, stroking his baby's cheek with his finger.

It had been the longest day of his life. Kristoff had gone to the valley to gather a few remedies and herbs to help with Anna's discomfort—she had been continuously uncomfortable the last few weeks of her pregnancy—the entire pregnancy had been hard on Anna. The trolls were instructing him on how to administer the herbs when Kai came galloping into the valley. Kristoff immediately knew what had started.

He pushed Sven as hard as he could and made it back to the castle in record time. He skidded through the hallways and slid to a stop outside their bedroom door and…

Was told to wait.

Men were not welcome in the delivery room. That was a place for women. Kristoff could wait outside the room, but he was not allowed in. For hours he listened to his wife scream in agony, the pain ripping its way through Kristoff's heart. Elsa would come out and sit with him occasionally, assuring him that everything was progressing naturally. But the longer the labor went, Kristoff noticed that there was an ever increasing tightness around Elsa's eyes. Even the unshakeable Queen was shaken by her sister's distress. How on earth was he supposed to keep it together?

Kristoff felt like he had reached his breaking point when Anna's screams subsided and a new, high-pitched wail filled the castle. No one could keep Kristoff out of the room that time.

A gurgling fuss came from the bassinette and snapped Kristoff out of his reverie.

"Oh, no," he cooed and picked up his baby, "Oh, sweet thing, did you come out of your swaddle?" A little fist poked out and Kristoff tugged at the cloth to try to make it cover the arm up, but to no avail. The baby began to fuss louder.

"No, shhhh, no it's okay, here," Kristoff tucked the baby into the crook of his arm and close to his chest, "See? There. Snug as a troll in its roll."

Kristoff rocked his baby at the fireside, whispering sweet nothings.

"Kristoff?" he heard a groggy voice to his side. Anna, disheveled and with heavy lids stood in the doorway, "Is everything okay? I heard her fuss."

He stood up and moved away from the embers and kissed Anna on her forehead, "Everything is fine, love, she came out of her swaddle, and I wasn't sure how to fix that, so instead I am just keeping her warm."

Anna smiled at their daughter, nestled safely in Kristoff's arm. She leaned down and kissed her smooth forehead.

"She is so tiny in your arms," Anna whispered, "Such a wee thing." Anna smiled up at Kristoff, "I am sure she feels warm and safe in your arms."

Kristoff wrapped his free arm around Anna's shoulders and squeezed lightly, "C'mon, Anna. Let's get back to bed so that I can keep both my favorite girls safe and warm."


	6. Chapter 6: Layers

**Rating** : K  
 **Words** : 1,180  
 **Summary:** Snow days require many layers, and so does parenthood.

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"Hey, wait up Ingrid!" Kristoff called down the hall, "You can't go outside yet until you put on your…"

"Gotcha!" Anna yelled, scooping up her racing six-year-old and swinging her around, "You heard your papa, go get your coat, scarf, and gloves, then we can play outside."

Ingrid giggled in agreement and leaped out of Anna's arms, turning towards Kristoff and letting him help her with her layers.

"Now, where did the other one get too…?" Anna tapped her finger against her chin, purposely ignoring the squirming blanket on one of the many chair in the hallway. "You know, Papa, if I can't find Mirek anywhere. I suppose we just have to go outside and play without him."

Kristoff nodded, tugging a glove onto Ingrid's hand, "I think so Mama. That is such a shame, I know how much Mirek was looking forward to playing outside today."

"Papa!" the little boy squealed, popping out from under the blanket, "Play!"

Kristoff mocked shock, "Oh! There you are, my boy, you scared me!" he moved to bundle up his son next, wrestling the two-year-old's arms into the coat and his feet into little winter boots.

"There," Kristoff said proudly, "I think I've got them all dressed."

Anna laughed and threw her winter cloak over her shoulders, "I don't think they'll be that cold. But they wanted to play in the snow, so we've got to layer them all up."

Kristoff laughed, leaning down and kissing his wife on her cheek. The years had been kind to them. They were the young parents of two beautiful children—both spitfires like their mother. After years of trying to conceive, having two children was more than he could dream. It was decided, however, after Mirek's particularly traumatizing birth that Anna was in no condition to continue to carry children, and due to the damage the midwife predicted her womb underwent during her second labor, it was unlikely that Anna would carry another pregnancy to full term. And, although Kristoff had been heartbroken to hear that at the time, he later realized he was perfectly content with the blessings in his life already. He had his beautiful wife, his passionate daughter, and his jovial son. There was nothing more Kristoff could dream of needing.

"Are you coming?" Anna asked, picking up Mirek and walking towards the door of the castle.

"Yes, yes," Kristoff laughed, taking Ingrid's hand and following Anna out to the courtyard.

Once outside, the kids looked around, confused. The sun was shining bright, the fall leaves crisp on the trees, and the temperature was pleasant.

Ingrid pulled on Kristoff's arm, "Papa," she whispered. Kristoff leaned his ear down to hear her, "There is a small problem—there isn't any snow."

Kristoff laughed, "Just wait and watch, Ingrid Rose." He turned both of them around to see Elsa exiting the castle.

Ingrid's face broke into a beam, "Auntie Elsa! You're home!" she raced towards Elsa and wrapped her arms around her thighs. Elsa smiled gave her niece and endearing smile and patted her back. Mirek came next, waddling up to Elsa and flopping against her leg too.

"Now I know why we're all layered up!" Ingrid pulled away and smiled up at Elsa, "You're going to make it snow!"

Elsa leaned down and tapped her finger against Ingrid's nose, "Only for my favorite kids in the whole wide world." Standing up again, Elsa twisted her magic between her hands, a blue ball forming between them. She tossed the magic into the air, and with a break flash of her hands, the magic burst into a flurry. With another reach of her hand, Elsa coated the courtyard with a base layer of snow.

"YAY!" Ingrid screamed running around with her hands out, trying to catch the snowflakes.

"Snow, snow, snow!" Mirek chanted, waddling around behind his sister.

Kristoff turned his gaze back on Anna, who, like every time she saw her sister's magic, was gazing to the sky in awe. A snowflake landed on her nose and Kristoff dipped down to kiss it away.

"Have I told you…" his lips grazed her hair, his breath tickling her ear, "How proud I am of you?"

"Proud?" Anna gave him a side glace, "Why?"

"Because you gave me this," he said, stretching his arm out to encompass his children being chased around by Elsa and the small snow "monsters" she produced, "You gave me a family. You've added layers to my life that eleven years ago I never would have imagined possible. And you're such a good mom. I can't even describe to you what an amazing mother you are…"

Anna wrapped her arms around his torso and reached up to peck his cheek, "You're in a mood today, huh?" she laughed. He chuckled with her, placing a hand on the small of her back. "You're the one I am proud of. You changed your whole life for me. You became a prince, and a damn good one." He laughed again. Some days it was still a struggle to remember he held a title now.

"But Kristoff, you are the best parent these kids could ask for, you are such a great…"

"Papa!" Ingrid called, racing towards him and Anna, "Papa you have to help me beat Auntie Elsa and Mirek in a snowball fight!"

"What?" Kristoff laughed, looking up at Elsa who had already started building a fort, and Mirek, who was toddling around and knocking over the snowballs Elsa stacked, "No one can beat Auntie Elsa in a snowball fight! And how did she recruit Mirek?"

"Promises of chocolate," Elsa called over her fort. Kristoff rolled his eyes. Like mother like son.

Ingrid tugged on his free hand, "Please Papa!"

Anna smiled up at him, "You know the three of us may be able to take her—Mirek is a bit of a handicap."

Kristoff snorted, "Alright, we'll give it a try!"

"Yay!" Ingrid cheered, running back towards her small snowball pile, "Mama, get more snowballs ready!"

"You're goners!" Elsa called from behind her fort.

"Goners!" they heard Mirek repeat in a shrill voice.

"We'll see about that!" Anna cheered back, kneeling down in the snow next to her daughter and rolling snowballs frantically, "But no making the snow melt if we get too close to beating you this time!"

Elsa popped up over the fort and gave her sister a dirty look.

Kristoff plopped down too, heaping snow into a pile to create a sort of fort. His family had many layers—and as a father, he had discovered that he had many layers too. Sometimes he was a disciplinarian, sometimes he was a shoulder to cry on, sometimes he was a boo-boo bunny. But this was the layer he enjoyed most, when he was able to be the fun Papa, the jungle gym, fort builder, tickle monster, and snowball shield. As he kneeled next to his daughter behind their makeshift fort, snowballs in hand, he saw her eyes shining with excitement and youth, he knew this was the layer he wanted his babies to always remember.


	7. Chapter 7: Starry Night

**Rating** : K  
 **Words:** 840  
 **Summary** : It had been a big day, ending in a starry night, for Anna's family.

* * *

It was late into the evening when Anna pulled Kristoff away from the lights and sounds of the party and towards the gardens of the castle. Her cream-colored dress wooshed behind her as she tugged them farther from the fete, and closer to their own little heaven. She didn't care that he was muddying his pant legs and twigs were tearing at his formal coat, or that her shoes and dress would be ruined. It was a starry night, and there was no better place to see the stars than in the middle of the palace gardens.

The wedding had been beautiful, their new daughter in law radiant, and their son proud. Anna couldn't help but shed a tear at her boy getting married—her baby, her youngest, all grown up. Their daughter attended as well, and would be in Arendelle for several more days before heading back to her husband's kingdom. Mirek would be staying in Arendelle with his wife, but Elsa was moving him to his own estate in the extreme north of the kingdom to increase government and royal presence that far away. Soon, Anna and Kristoff would be empty nesters. Alone for the first time in 26 years. And Anna wanted to start it off on the right foot.

"Oh, Kristoff," Anna breathed, twirling under the stars, "Look how beautiful."

She felt him smile down on her and look up too.

Time had taken its toll on the both of them. Kristoff's tall frame had started to hunch over with age, and he his strong build had less muscles than it used to. He found that his knees always creaked and his back always ached.

Anna knew she had changed too. Her hair was streaked silver, her face creased with laugh lines and wrinkles, her hands knotty and joints stiff from age. But when Kristoff looked at her, with the stars in his eyes, she was sure he still saw her the way he did so long ago.

Kristoff took her hand and pulled her to his chest, their hands pressed to his heart. Under the stars, he stepped in a slow circle with her, resting his cheek on her hair.

"Kristoff, our babies are all grown up," she mumbled into his chest.

He smiled, "Yes they are."

She pulled away and looked up at him, "Our babies are having babies!"

He laughed, "She's going to be a great mother, just like hers."

Anna shook her head, "Kristoff, we're going to be grandparents."

He twirled her around his hand and pulled her back into his chest, "We are not that old."

She chuckled against him, "I think we may be."

Anna rocked and melted into him, the silent night adding to the beauty of the moment.

"I think I'm going to ask Elsa if we can go visit Ingrid when the baby is born," she whispered, "I don't want to wait to see my new baby. I want to be there."

"Honey," Kristoff spun her back around to face him, "I think it's Ingrid's baby."

Anna waved her hand at him, "It'll be my new baby."

"The baby will have other grandparents."

"My baby."

He rolled his eyes and kept dancing with her, the stars still twinkling above them, the low hum from fete behind them. There was a rustling of leaves behind them. They both turned to see who else was wandering the gardens. Through plants burst Ingrid and her husband, both giggling in the night—until Ingrid realized they weren't alone.

"Mama?" she choked, "Papa? What are you doing out here?"

Anna gave Kristoff a sideways glance, smirking.

"We could be asking you the same thing young lady," Kristoff said, giving her his best grumpy-father look.

"Ah, well, we—"

"Ingrid just wanted to show me the stars," her husband chimed, looking up at awe in the sky.

"Yea," Ingrid settled, "You always told me this was the best place in the capital to see the stars, so I just wanted to share that with Michael."

Anna smiled at their daughter and grabbed her hands, pulling her to the perfect clearing, "Look, Ingrid, look how they shine."

Ingrid looked up and smiled. Kristoff and Michael moved back, watching their respective wives. One of the many ways that Ingrid was similar to Anna was her sense of wonder, and they both stared at the sky in awe.

"It's beautiful," Ingrid whispered, looking back down at Anna.

"Yes it is," Kristoff moving up and placing a hand on the small of Anna's back. Michael moved up and wrapped Ingrid up in his arms, a protective hand over the swell in her stomach.

"Can't believe I'm getting another baby in my family," Anna smiled at her daughter, who blushed.

"Mama, it's my baby—I'm starting my family."

Anna shook her head, "People keep saying that. We all know it's going to be my new baby."

A laugh rippled through the clearing, and Anna smiled at her ever extending family, all gathered under the starry night.


	8. Chapter 8: Chilly

**Rating:** K  
 **Words:** 1,880  
 **Summary:** Love can never forget.

* * *

It started innocently enough. Kristoff noticed Anna staring blankly at books. When he would ask her if everything was alright, she would quietly respond that she couldn't remember the words. The spell would pass though, and soon she would be absorbed in her reading.

He noticed her standing in the hallways of her home, her head tilted in confusion. When he would ask her if everything was alright, she would quietly respond that she couldn't remember the way. The spell would pass though, and she would cheerfully continue on her way

He noticed her smiling at the grandkids when they came to visit, but a distant look would come across her eyes when a younger child was handed to her. When he would ask her if everything was alright, she would quietly respond that she couldn't remember the names. The spell would pass though, and soon she would be playing happily with her family.

He didn't notice, one night though, Anna get out of bed in the middle of a winter night. He didn't notice her leave their bedroom and latch the door behind her. He didn't notice when his niece came in and shook him awake.

"Uncle," she whispered urgently, "Uncle."

He rolled over stiffly squinting at her.

"Auntie is outside in the snow in only her bedclothes. I tried to convince her to come inside, but she wouldn't listen to me."

Kristoff moved as quickly as his aging frame would let him, pulled on his winter boats and heavy coat, and moved for their door.

"Uncle Kristoff," his niece followed him out, "She kept calling me Elsa."

He turned and looked at her in shock, "Why?" he grunted.

"I don't think she knows who I am."

He kept moving, his niece pushing open the palace doors that emptied into the courtyard. The snow fell heavily, the wind whipping, and in the middle of it all, huddled on a bench against the courtyard wall, was Anna. Kristoff moved to her, his joints creaking in protest.

"Anna!" he called, "Anna!" He stood over her, wrapping his winter coat around her shoulders, "Come on, love, let's go in."

She shook her head, but pulled the coat tight around her.

"Why not? Anna please, you're freezing."

She shook her head again, staring at her knees, "I'm waiting."

Kristoff fought the urge to shake her. Instead he sighed, "Waiting for what?"

"Elsa."

Kristoff's heart sunk, his face twisting into shock, "Anna," he said, sitting next her, wrapping his wrinkled arm around her shoulder, "Elsa isn't coming home. Elsa is dead."

She looked up, surprised on her face, "Elsa died?"

Kristoff's heart raced. Years ago, Elsa died years ago.

Her chin trembled, and tears started to well in her eyes, "I don't remember. I can't remember. Why don't I remember?"

"C'mon," Kristoff stood laboriously, pulling Anna up with him, "Let's talk about this inside."

Anna waddled slowly behind him, dragging her feet in the snow. Their niece waited in the entryway, holding the massive doors open. Kristoff looked at her, shaking his head.

* * *

Senile, the physician said. That's why she couldn't remember. She was senile.

Kristoff wanted to know how to fix it. The physician shrugged, it was just something that happened when you aged. Kristoff wanted to know why it wasn't happening to him. The physician shrugged, it only happened to some people. Kristoff wanted to know how much she would remember. The physician shrugged, it depended on how long she lived.

It was agonizing, losing Anna. She forgot how to read, forgot how to sing, forgot how to paint, forgot how to knit, sometimes she even forgot how to speak. She sat in their room, wrapped in an afghan next to the fire, and she stared. Kristoff sat with her. When she did talk, she spoke of the adventures of their younger days. She remembered those. The stories at least. It wasn't long before she only told the same three or four stories. Over and over and over.

Anna continued to deteriorate. Kristoff continued to watch.

He wrote their daughter and son, and told them to come home. It wouldn't be long now. He warned them though, he didn't if she would remember them.

But Anna continued to cling to the edge of life, even if she wasn't really living. Kristoff would read to her, he would talk to her. But mostly he would sit with her, and watch her.

He came into their room one day (though he had been sleeping in a different suite recently, Anna rarely slept anymore) and found her sitting in bed instead of in her chair.

"Hello," he said, shuffling to the windows and pulling open the drapes. Sunshine flooded the room.

Anna looked at him, her expression empty.

"I brought a new book today," he continued, hobbling to her bedside, "It's one of your favorite stories."

She didn't respond. She rarely did. But Kristoff had learned to continue to talk and fill the silence.

"I'll try to do the voices, like you always used to do for the kids…" he lowered himself into a rocking chair and moved to open the book.

"I don't know you."

Kristoff froze. The words were barely a whisper, a breath, but they punched him the gut, ripped the breath out of his lungs, and shattered his heart. He had a feeling, these past few weeks, that she wasn't sure how he fit into her life anymore. Even with everything she had lost, he never imagined that his Anna would ever forget him.

"I know," he whispered in to his lap, choking back his emotions.

She tilted her head and looked at him, her face impassive. She reached a hand out to his creased cheek, the unexpected touch shocking him. He chuckled sadly and pressed his cheek into her hand, clutching it with his own hand.

"I may not know you," she said again, "But I know that I love you."

He couldn't hold back his tears, and they bounced down his cheek, stopping when they hit their hands. He pulled her hand from his cheek and pressed his lips to her knuckles.

"You must love me," she whispered.

He laughed against her hand, "I love you more than anyone has loved anyone ever."

She nodded, "You have loved me a long time."

"Anna," he said, his eyes finally meeting hers, "I have loved you for a lifetime."

She relaxed back into her pillow, her hand still in his as he lowered them to his lap.

"And you'll keep loving me. Even though I don't know you?"

"I will never stop loving you, Anna. Never," he vowed.

She nodded and closed her eyes. He opened the book to the first page and took a breath to begin reading.

"Kristoff…"

"Anna?" he gasped, looking back up at her.

Her eyes were closed, but a soft smile on her face.

It didn't matter what happened next. It didn't matter what version of Anna he got on any given day. All that mattered was that he loved her his whole life long. And he would never stop.

* * *

 _Thank you for reading my series! If you enjoyed it, please remember to leave a review. And, if you're interested in another Frozen adventure, please take the time to read my multi-chapter piece, The Engagement- I promise you won't be disappointed. Thanks again, and have a great day!_


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